Method of and apparatus for forming concrete pipe



Se t. 18, 1928. 1 1,684,858

c. F. BUE.NTE v METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONCRETE PIPE Filed July 25, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 18, 1928. 1,684,858 C. F. BUENTE IETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORIING CONCRETE PIPE Filed July 25. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 18, 1928. 1,684,858

c. F. BUENTE I METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONCRETE PIPE Filed July 25, 1925 3 Sheets'-Sheet 3 INVENTOR MM/VYW outer surface of the spigot end of the Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

, restate UNITED STATES 'PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES F. BUENTE, or PITTSBURGH, PEN SYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR PRODUCTS COMPANY OF AMERICA, 0]? PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, .A. COBPORA-.

TION or PENNSYLVANIA,

METHOD or AND APPARATUS Application filed July 25,

This invention'relates to an improvement in amethod and apparatus for forming concrete pipe and more particularly relates to the art of forming such pipe by centrifugal force.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby I am enabled to avoid segregation of the heavier particles of the aggregate at the outer portions of the pipe and thus form pipe having substantially the same mix throughout the structure.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for forming pipe in which the concrete is compacted to a high degree, as well as apipe in which the inner surfaces are troweled, so as to form a smooth inner surface.

Still another object of my invention is to form such pipe in which the inner surface of the socket endwhich engages the. outer surface of the spigot end of the nextsec ti on of pipe when laid, is troweled, whilethe pipe, which seats in the socket end, is form finished.

The precise nature of my invention will' be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, it being premised, however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction and the'general arrangement of the parts, without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention, as defined in the appended. claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one form of apparatus built in accordance with my invention and which illustrates a form of apparatus for making. pipe in accordance with my invention;

Fig.2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a portion of the device, and in which a portion of a pipe has been formed;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 V

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; and v r Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line VV of Fig. 2.

In these drawings, the reference character 10 designates a frame or support on asuitanon FORMING CONCRETE PIPE.

1923. Serial No. 653,661.

To CONCRETE blefoundati0n 11, having a pit-12. Rotata bly mounted on three rollers 13 journaled in v the frame 10 is a turntable 1 1, having a depending sleeve carrying a gear wheel 15, the

hub of which rests on a'bearing in the frame 10. Connected to the upper face of table 14 is an annular track 16, on which is] supported a trowelor slicker 17 by means of balls interposed between theunder surface of the trowel and the track 16. The slicker 17 is provided with exterior cam surfaces 18 and internal driving projections 19, for the purpose hereinafter described. I r

Rotatably mounted within the sleeve of the table 14 is a shaft 21, having secured to". its upper end a feeder for the concrete.

The feeder comprises a'table 22'0f circular form, the outer diameter of which is substantially equal to the interior diameter of" the pipe to beformed, and connected to the upper surface of the table 22 are feed vanes generally. radial direc- 225, which extend in a tion. Supported on the tops of the vanes 23 is a feed-hopper 24, which is substantially and which hopper preferably extends outwardly concentric with the axis of the shaft 21,

over the tops of the vanes, as clearly illus trated in Figures 1 and 2. The bottom of the feed device is provided with a plurality of projections 25, which are arranged to;

engage projections 19 'of the trowel or" inbefore described;

Secured to the upper face of the table '14: are a plurality of chairs 26, on which is se- Tsecured an annular palette 27. Connected the sleeve of the table 14 and is arranged to rotate therein, but is splinod to hub 31 of the gear wheel 32. The lower end of the shaft rests in av step bearing in a plate 33,

which is arranged to be raised and lowered by mechanism hereinafter descrlbed along guides 34: in the pit 12 and which extend downwardly from the frame 10.

Rotatably mounted in suitable bearings is a powershaft 35 having'a cone pulley slicker, in order to drive said slicker as hereloo with an idle gear 4. 5,, whichis rotatably speed to project the scribed.

.ing such that when 35" thereon, whereb the shaft- 35 is driven. 36 is a vertical sha t mounted in bearings on the frame 10, and connected to thcshaft 36 is a bevel gear 37, which is driven by a bevel gear 38 on the shaft 35. Connected to the shaft 36 are pinions'39 and 40,which mesh with gear wheels 32 and 15,- respectively. v H

Rotatably mounted in bearings in the frame 10 are the upper ends of screws tl and 42, to which are connected pinions 43 and 454, respectively, These pinions mesh mounted about the shaft 21. The upper end of screw 42 is connected to a bevel pinion46, which is in turn driven by a bevel gear 4'] on a shaft 48, which shaft may be driven in any desired manner to raise and lower the feed device, as hereinafter (19 The lower ends of the screws 41 and 42 extend through nuts 49 and 5,0, in plate 33, respectively, the arrangement beshaft 48 is rotated in one. direction, shaft 21 together with'the feed device will be raised, and when shaft 48 is rotated in the other directiomthe feed device will be lowered.

The operation of the device is-as follows: At the beginning of the formation of a ipe, the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1. The power is applied to the shaft 35, and the concrete is ffid tofhe hopper 242, which is rotated at a sufficient against the forrnwhere it. will form the pipe socket forming. portion of the mold, and which pipe soc et portion is then formed by the trowel slicker 17 is rotated feeder and differs from the speed of the form, preferably at a slower speed. After the pipe socket has been formed, the speed i of the form and feeder is increased to produce a thorough centrifugal action andthe concrete is projected into position against the form. After suflicient concrete has been fed to, form the socket end of the pipe, power is applied to the shaft 48, rotating the screws 41 and 42 in the proper direc- 1 tion to raise the feed device. The concrete is fed in a continuous manner to the hopper 2 1, and the feed device is now raised in a continuous manner upwardl until it passes beyond the upper end of t e ring 30, and

as soonas. projections 25 on the feed. device pass trowel 17 will be rotated w th the table 14 and the concrete in the form '29. ts-the feeder moves upwardly, the concrete will be fed outwardly by the feeder, and as before stated, will be projected at a high velocity dur' the upward movement of the feeder.

The outer periphery of the feeder will trowel the inner surface of the pipe, so that the interior of the pipe will be. formed with concrete outwardlyor slicker 17. The, at the speed of they above projections 19, the slicker 01' a smooth surface concentric with the airis of the form. 1

The. concrete mixture is projected outwardly b; centrifugal force to its osition in the mo (1, thus enabling the tively dry mixture, that 15, a mixture having a quantity of water butslightly in excess of that required-for proper hydration of the cement. Such a mlxtu're avoids the formation ofinert laitance and also avoids segregation of the coarse and fine particles of the aggregate and the cement which does occurin Wetter mixes. The. centrifugalaction of the form further compacts the eon, crete andexpels any excess Water that may remain in the concrete to the inside of the pipe.

After position shown. in Figure 1, by reversing.

use 9 a rolethe pipe has as. eomPleted, the feeder is lowered through the pipe to the the direction of rotation of the shaft 48.v The entire form, together with the palette is then removed from the chairs, theslicker or'trowel 17, however, remaining in position upon the trackway 16.

Another form and paletteare then placed.

in position on the chairs and the next PIPE- is formed in the above described manner.

The advantages of my invention result form. Still anotheradvantageof my 1n-j vention results from the provision of means for troweling the entire inner surface; of V the Pipe, whereby I am enabled to. form a socket havin a smooth surface, aswell as a pipe having a smooth inner Surfaqe throughout its entire len th.

Of course it; will be 1m erstood thatthe,

concrete is not fed in ahit and miss manner into thehopper 24, but such feed must be fast enough to supply the material required at a sufficient rate to form the pipe, but not so rapidly that the mouths of the feed ports between the ribs 23are choked. a In some cases when formin articles having thick walls, it may be desirable toIform the article in stages. In such. cases the con-. crete is applied in layers, the last layer being smoothed by the slicker to form the in,- .ner surface of the article. l v

I claim;

1. The method of forming'concrete articles having a circular inner surface, compris ng feeding and placing plastic material into the, interior of a rotatingform and subjecting the material to centrifugal force withinthe form during the feeding thereof and before the material is influenced by the centrifugal force of the form, subjecting the p aced matcrial to further centrifugal force by the movement of the form, and troweling the interior of the article after the material has beenplaced, substantially as described.

2. The method of forming concrete articles having, a circular inner surface comprising feeding relatively dry plastic concrete material Within a rotating form, placing said plastic material into the interior of the form by centrifugal-force during the feedin thereof and before thematerial is influenced by the centrifugal force of the form, subjecting the placed material to centrifugal force by the movementof the form,

moving the feeder longitudinally of the form during the forming of the article and troweling the interiorof the pipe from end to end duringthe formation stantially as described. v

3. The method of forming concrete articles comprising projecting plastic material into position within a rotating form by centifuga force through a feeder, and moving said feeder from end to end of the article during the formation thereof, and further compacting the projected material. by the centrifugal action of the form, substantiall as described. i

l. The method of forming concrete ar ticles having a circular inner surface, comprising projecting plastic material into position within a rotating form by-centrifugal force through a feeder, moving said feeder from end to vend of the article during the formation thereof and troweling the inner surface of the article in a continuous manner from end to end of the article while the placed material is being subjected to the centrifugal force of the as described.

iiuparatus for forming concrete articles including a mold, a rotatable feeder having a radially extending portionadapted for imparting centrifugal force to the material, said portion terminating in a. discharge opening which lies substantially at the interior face of an article formed inthe mold and means for rotating the feeder.

6. In anapparatus for forming concrete pipe by centrifugal force, a mold for form ing the outer surface of the pipe, a feeder, means for rotating the mold, means for rotating the feeder relative to the mold, a bell forming portion within the mold, means for rotating the bell forming portion relative to the mold, means for rotating the feeder, and means for noving the feeder longitudinally of the mold, substantially as described.

7. The method ofmaking concrete arti cles in a form which includes supplying concrete material substantially centrally of the qstantially as described.

thereof, sub

form, substantially force by the movement trowellmg the interior of the article after ing into proximity with the form, and means on the feeder for-dividing the concrete ma} terial supplied thereto .into portions, sub- 9. Apparatus forv making concrete articles including a form, a feeder having a table adapted to direct the material into proximity with the form, the table formed, means for producing relative rotary motion between the feeder and the form,

proximating' the internal dimensions of the articles being and means for troweling. or slicking the in terior of the formed as described. p

10. Apparatus for forming hollow con-' crete articles, comprising a form, means for rotating the same, a rotatable table Within the form extending substantially to the interior face of an article formed in the apparatus, the table being adapted to receive plastic material and discharge it outwardly against the form, and means for moving the table and the form relative to one another in an axial direction.

11. The method of making a concrete pipe, which comprises forcibly projecting plastic concrete against the inner surface 0 a rotat article, substantially ing mold and trowelingthe interior of the compacted mass of concrete immediately the Wall of said mold.v

12. The method of making a concrete pipe,

which comprises forcibly projecting plastic concrete against the inner surface of a'rotating mold at substantially a normalto the said surface of concrete,.the concrete being applied progressively throughout the length of the mold and trowelling the interior of the compacted mass of concrete progres sively with the progressive projection of the concrete against the wall of said mold. V 13. The method of forming concrete articles having a circular inner surface, com prising feeding and placing plasticmaterial into the interior of a rotating form, subjecting the placed material to centrifugal of the the material has been placed.

form, and

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES F. BUENTE; 

